ref date:26 Mar 1999 (EU)
Smaller European countries do well in EU budgets

Two reasons why the Scots need to be independent and full members of the EU.

[1] Finance
[2] Full voice within Europe

The table below shows what would happen if Scotland were to become an independent nation and was accepted in the European Union (as it surely would because of its &quot better European Attitude &quot and economic muscle)

It is easy to see that and independent Scotland would have a direct voice of 16 Members in the European Parliament (MEPs), and their voice would concentrate on what was good for Scotland, not what Westminster thought was good for the &quot UK &quot i.e. England!!!

It doesn't take a genius to see that the other small European states are better represented than Scotland is, gagged and subdued as it is currently by Westminsters mad whims, fancies and delusions ! These Scottish MEPs could wholeheartedly and with the backing of their Nation fight to protect Scottish interests, which is more than the Westminster controlled department of Agriculture did as the &quot mad cow scare &quot escalated (One wonders who the mad cows were?).

Country

number seats

population (millions)

Germany

99

83

France

87

58

Italy

87

57

the United Kingdom (England/Wales/N.Ireland)

71 (down from 87 if Scotland were independent)

53

Spain

64

39

the Netherlands

31

15

Belgium

25

10

Greece

25

10

Portugal

25

10

Sweden

22

9

Austria

21

8

Denmark

16

5

Scotland

16 projected on population

5

Finland

16

5

Ireland

15

4

Luxembourg

6

0.5

Even with Scotlands large reserves of gas and Oil, the large
neglected areas of the country would ensure the Scots would fair
better financially from the EU as a direct member than scraping a living off
Londons leftovers.